Clint Eastwood directs this adaptation of the popular Broadway musical tracing the career of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and it's a surprisingly flat affair. Part mob comedy, part backstage melodrama, it never really gels into a compelling (or believable) tale of the highs and lows of struggling to become a huge pop sensation. Befitting its stage roots, it's endlessly feel-good (even the few sad parts are designed to entertain), and the actors deliver a decent facsimile of the Four Seasons' distinctive sound. (John Lloyd Young, who portrays Valli, originated the role on Broadway.) Eastwood's not even trying here — it plays out like a better-than-average TV movie, complete with fake New York City sets and a muddled timeline. But in fairness, the whole venture doesn't seem to be aiming to be anything more than a mildly entertaining time-waster with some big hit songs tossed in.
